Not my method but...... Here is how you MAY do it.


For adjustable valve train only!

1.  To check your valve to piston clearances, simply adjust your rocker adjustment as you normally would,
     BUT,  in between your rocker arm and valve stem, install  two dimes, crank engine over a few times
     and feel for contact.    (2 dimes give you about .125 clearance/I never measured them)

Once again, this is not my method.....but it makes sense.   ATTEMPT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Does clay give you an exact clearance.?...... Keep an open mind if you will.... This
 came from ENGINE BUILDER MAGAZINE,   NOT ME!

And what is nuts about it?

But I do appreciate your comments...........Good Day Sir

Let me know what You find out

Or use a stack of feeler guages... then you can get a pretty decent representation.... if a valve has more than .080" of clearance I call it good

PW TONY ....I agree.... How can you measure clay

If you want to do it properly......Invest in machinest tools.


They are way more expensive than  .020 cents!

slice and mic the clay, then eat it!!

Lets see, stick two dimes in there, but becuase I am in the middle of degreeing the cam I wind up with less than .125. Now I've taken and either bent the end of the valve or damaged the piston because metal +metal=junk.

I personally wouldn't do this. Take the clay, let it squish, take a knife, cut it in half at each valve, peel off, measure the thickness.

I too have heard of the tootsie roll method. Leave the rapper on it so that it won't stick to anything.

Playdoh and an exacto knife has served me well for years :-)

The kids like it when I do that too becuase they get it afterwards...

I feel like a dipshit for not thinking about leaving the wrapper on the Tootsie Roll.  I'll definately do that next time.

hahahaha!!  sorry, i got a pretty good chuckle out of that one!

I just think it's funny how you merely suggested a method that someone else uses that was way out of the ordinary yet is incredibly similar to an accepted method and some folks still try to beat you over the head with the common method.

Kind of like tunning headers with a crayon.
Who the hell would have thought to take a crayon to a header BUT, it works.
I can see some tool boxes being filled crayons and tootsie rolls now ! 

Interesting how crafty one can get when your in a wrenching frenzy into the wee hours of the night
and your thinkin FOOOOOCK ! WHERE'S MY CLAY, AND WHAT THE FOCK AM I GONNA DO WITH ALL THESE FOCKIN TOOTSIE ROLLS IN MY TOOL BOX !     
Well , at least that how it works here at Team Cold Beer Racing 

-beerjet-

Very well done Omar......I'm headed to the store to stock up on clay,pam,tootsie rolls and
M&M"S as we speak .....Did I forget anything on the list

i like snickers

Ok.....spair dimes, snicker's, and BEER......that it